IT IS with great
sadness we announce the passing of an old friend and regular contributor to
Farmers Guide, Tony Clark, of Langley Lawn Farm, Saffron Walden, Essex, writes Doug Potts.
Many readers will
remember Tony’s monthly articles which started with the April 1983 issue and
continued to November 2001 when, in Tony’s words “It is with great regret that
I have to tell you the time has come for me to hang up my pen and set fire to
the computer”.
Tony had much to
offer his readers. In his own inimitable style, direct and easily understood by
farmers who related to his points of view and hands-on approach to current
farming problems, his column became one of the most popular and well-read in
the magazine.
He was well known in
many areas of activity apart from farming. An ex-chairman of his local parish
council, he was part of the council’s fight to stop Nuthampstead, a World War
II airfield that bordered his farm, from becoming the third London airport.
He was a founder
member of the friends of the 398th Bomber Group, helping to organise
visits for returning American veterans and raising funds to erect a memorial at
the Woodman Inn, Nuthampstead.
He had a keen
interest in motor sport and was an early member of Harlow Auto Club – now Stort
Valley Auto Club – rallying his much loved MG TC with his wife Beryl beside
him. Four of his grandsons are still actively involved in motor sport.
During the social
occasions he spent with his Farmers Guide colleagues we learned of his war
years preparing for D Day, his time in Palestine
and India,
and his responsibility for servicing and maintaining Monty’s caravan while
serving in the REME.
Back in civilian
life, Tony became an agricultural contractor, a business he developed until a
small farm came on the market on the outskirts of Bishop Stortford. When the
farm was compulsorily purchased by the council, he bought Langley Lawn Farm in
1957 and ran them both for a little more than a year, taking his two Massey 788
combines complete with 8ft headers to and fro between the farms via Bishops
Stortford High Street. Locals will no doubt remember the two machines with
notices on the back – “Overtakers beware of Undertakers”.
It was in Tony’s
nature to try new things. He became involved with NSDO growing new varieties,
mainly wheat, with mixed results. He was an early trials grower to attempt
grain maize, triticale and naked oats.
He was the first
member of the ICI Ten-Tonne Club and a founder member of the Eastern Region
Quality Wheat Group. He achieved the world wheat record of 11.27t/ha in 1977,
and an English record of 13.09t/ha in 1981 in conjunction with ICI, NSDO,
Ciba-Geigy and CambridgeUniversity (Land Economy
Unit).
Tony leaves a wife,
two sons, a daughter and six grandchildren.
